The Price of Holy
by K Project
Summary: This is my attempt at conveying what I think Aeris' last moments were like. Contains the ultimate spoiler. Please RR!


I still hear his voice. It echoes in my mind. As I left him, he called out my name. I   
wonder if he'll come for me? Yes, of course he will! He's my bodyguard...  
  
I'm sorry to have left them all behind. But he's smart. He'll find me. I can only hope doesn't   
stop me before I do what must be done.  
  
Okay. Deep breath. And into the trees.  
  
They don't stop me. They daren't. Sleeping Forest sits and watches me as I run through the   
green. It's quiet. There are no birds flying overhead, no squirrels running for cover as I   
pass. But it doesn't feel dead here. There's something here, something calls me onward...  
  
I keep running. I glance over my shoulder; no one's there. No sound of footsteps in the   
distance. I slow, and watch the elder City of my people as it rises into view. Okay, deep   
breath. My heart races. But I have to do this. It's for the good of everyone.  
  
I walk through the empty streets. No, not empty, not entirely. They're full of memories. Humans   
call this place the Forgotten City, but I don't think it ever forgets what it was.  
  
I look around, and I can almost see my ancestors, as they walked through this place so very   
long ago. They're smiling at me, all of them! I close my eyes and smile back. A cold wind   
suddenly rustles the ribbon in my hair. And I'm all alone, again. I'm always alone...  
  
Always alone. I sigh. The last of my kind. The survivor of the Cetra. But, there are times I   
don't feel alone. When I was with Elmyra, and she looked after me, and loved me, when all the   
family I had had returned to the Planet. When I was in the church(MY church, I think, although   
it doesn't truly belong to me), among the flowers, and I could hear my mother...  
  
And when I was with...him. When he bought one of my little flowers. When he crashed down on me.  
When we were flying above the Golden Saucer. There's so much I wish I could tell him. That I   
wish I could have told him. I sigh, again. But I know there will be another chance, someday.   
We'll meet again. I know it.  
  
I walk onwards, into the Capital. And, secretly, I hope that he'll come, and he'll kill   
Sephiroth, and...I shake my head. I'm the only one who can do this.   
  
I enter the temple in the heart of the Forgotten City, and I have to catch my breath. There's   
a crystal clear pool, surrounded by carven trees. For a moment, I wish I could walk out into   
it, and just be here forever, surrounded by it. Will I ever get the chance? I almost hope so.   
But the hard truth is, everything has an end. Even if that end is only another beginning...  
  
I cross the slender crystal arch of a bridge, and I stand upon the altar. I look around,   
perhaps for the last time. Deep breath. It's ok. Deep breath. My heart is pounding. Is he here?   
I can feel someone's presence...  
  
I kneel, and I close my eyes. I cast my mind down, and in, towards the Planet. "Mother, if you   
can hear me, I ask for your help..."  
  
Yes, there's someone here. I hear footsteps. Is it him? Is it Cloud? I don't dare go to meet   
him. Deep breath...  
  
"...I want to help. I know what I must give up, and I offer it gladly, if I can stop his   
evil..."  
  
It's Cloud! He's here! I hear him call my name! But I don't dare get up. I can only hope the   
Planet hears me...  
  
"I call upon the Ultimate White Magic, the treasure of the Ancients..."  
  
He's very close now. He sounds as though he's here on the altar with me! And what's that? He's   
drawing his sword...?  
  
"...Holy..."  
  
My prayer, my final and greatest plea, is done. I wait.   
  
Yes. He's drawing his sword. Why? There's no danger here...Who's that? Tifa? She calls out,   
"Cloud! Stop!" Stop what? What's he doing? Cloud speaks. He says "Ugh...What are you making me   
do...?  
  
And I feel a warmth, a glow upon me. The Planet answers! I feel my mother smile upon me. It's   
done. I feel no dread. I know what I must give up, and I give it gladly...  
  
I raise my head, and look at Cloud through the glow surrounding me. I smile at him. I try to   
tell him what's happened, that everything will be alright now, but no words come...  
  
...And then, everything happens at once...  
  
I hear something...  
  
I barely feel the blade as it stabs through me. Pain shoots through my body. The light dims...  
  
And I feel as though I'm floating...I can't control my body as it slumps forward. The ribbon   
fall from my hair, releasing the hidden treasure it holds. The White Materia falls into the   
water below, glowing with the light and love of the Planet.  
  
My flesh falls into Cloud's waiting arms, but my spirit sinks beneath it. I drift downwards,   
through stone and water. I can't hear what Cloud's saying, far above me. I can't hear what   
Sephiroth replies.   
  
If I had lungs, I would sigh. Before I even met Cloud, the Planet showed me this would happen.  
The Planet knows everything. I can no longer talk, laugh, or cry, but I'm not angry. This is   
the price of Holy. All I can do, now, is wait, for I've done all I can to help Cloud. It's up   
to him now... 


End file.
